


CARLANDO

by Kultainen (JackNetley)



Category: McLaren - Fandom, carlando - Fandom, f1, formula 1 - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Formula One, Carlando, Carlos Sainz - Freeform, F1 - Freeform, Formula One, Gen, Lando Norris - Freeform, M/M, McLaren, Other, Papaya Army
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:42:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29936355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackNetley/pseuds/Kultainen
Summary: Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lando Norris go on an epic adventure to find the Golden Steering Wheel of FIAland.
Relationships: Lando Norris & Carlos Sainz Jr, Lando Norris/Carlos Sainz Jr, carlando - Relationship
Comments: 4
Kudos: 4





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Never trust a guy named Brian.

User_FIA//SSS_ENTER  
LOADING…  
25%…  
50%…  
99%…  
PLEASE ENTER PASSCODE TO GAIN ACCESS!  
User_FIA//SSS_Pass_F1AManagementDriverDev2019_ENTER  
VERIFYING…  
ACCESS GRANTED!  
100% 

The scenery takes a change on the FIA club stage, it’s a bit unclear what’s going on - but suddenly the area is entirely grey. Reality takes on a ripple effect that makes the men and women watching appear as if they’re underwater, a white-static noise is followed by the big-screen suddenly becoming a kaleidoscope of multiple colours. Then it’s blank white, the FIA logo shows in the middle of the screen - and below it letters reading ‘The Simulator of the Future’. Very shortly a man in a suit makes his appearance, 

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am Brian of the FIA DD19 - or as many of you like to know, the new branch of the FIA’s Driver Development Committee, where we have been working tirelessly to create the simulator of the future. As you may be familiar with, Sim Racing has become quite the thing over the past few years, it’s helped in honing the skills of our generation’s top drivers. Yet, this technology - as advanced and expensive as it can be, has its limits. Today, we are here to present to you our groundbreaking development…” 

The crowd remained quiet as the screen then presented the model of the machine at hand - something quite ordinary actually that didn’t look like a simulator at all. Rather, what was there was a 3D-model of a sleek metallic chair-like mould - one which somewhat represented the mould that fit into the cockpit that a driver would have customised to his body, on it was a harness that would keep the driver secure in place. Surely this was a joke…

“I know what you’re thinking… What is this Brian? It’s just a mould they put into the cockpit… It’s much more than that.” 

A toggle from the remote control in the man’s hand made the model’s animations play out. A model representing a driver came to strap himself into the chair, he was without his helmet but had some sort of strange headband on that had a contraption at the back of his head, he had no racing overalls on and instead was wearing an athletic one piece suit with metallic designs. Only as the driver sat down was it realised that the metallic bits of the body suit fit into place with some sort of sensors, additionally the harness fit not only to keep the model to the chair - but also had cords that plugged into the metallic bits at the top of the arms and legs, and at last the contraption at the back of the model’s head fit like a gaming chip into a slot at the headrest of the chair. 

“The driver is connected in every way in this sort of simulation, he is put in some sort of coma when he is strapped into this device… The suit he is wearing connects every bit of his body’s electrodes and bodily signals into what we call the Cloud Sim. He may be entirely unconscious on the outside, but his mind is now connected with the Cloud Sim allowing him to vividly envision and race with every ounce of his sheer being. He can race so realistically it’s as if he is in the real world, the thing is - he is practically asleep. His brain and bodily activity is measured in a monitor here…”

Another model appeared on the screen, this one much like a laptop - but connected to some sort of contraption with multiple sensors that plugged into the chair. 

“The status bar tells you what he is currently doing, and further you get a live update of his statistical driving data trace. Selected persons can communicate with the driver through the Cloud Connection Application - where our developed code allows a driving manager to feed certain inputs into a chat box and they will be delivered right to the driver’s Cloud Sim Reality. Adjustments can also be made through inputs and so on… Entirely effortless, fabulous, and most importantly: safe.” 

A signal was sent from the laptop to the chair, the driver model was then awake again and unstrapping himself from the chair to get up and make an exit. 

“When it’s time to go, once again - just a single input to let the driver know it’s time to stop simulating - a signal is send to the brain, and it’s time to wake up. He is unstrapped and free to go about his day, head full of information about what he just experienced. The better half, no energy is spent - it’s all mind memory, what happens in their heads takes place a lot quicker and in a lot less time than actual physical simulations. More driving can be done in thirty minutes in the head than in two hours in the body.” 

The machine model panned off the screen and the screen went white once more with the FIA logo in the background, bullet points below in an orderly fashion. 

•Clean design  
•Effortless driving  
•Offers real-time data similar to testing days  
•More drive time in less time  
•No harmful effects 

“Whereas this is a most groundbreaking development that is paving the way to the future of Sim Racing, and potentially our sport as we know it - there is one issue. Such technology is in low supply, we only have a single pair of these seats - enough for two drivers on a single team. Which means… Our technologies can only go to one team on the grid until we produce more.”

Murmurs spread throughout the room, the head of the FIA was silently rubbing at his chin. One team… 

“I’m sure one of your important people will be in contact with my boss ASAP once you find who’s suitable. And so I will leave you with this… This is the future of Sim Racing.”

THEN THE SCREEN WENT BLACK.


	2. The New Simulator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lando is having nightmares, but why?

Lando Norris woke with a start, sitting up in bed to collect himself for a couple moments. It was getting nearer and nearer to the start of the season and his dreams over the last few weeks had been plagued with nightmarish scenes not even he could fully comprehend. Black and white, the static buzz from some distant television set, murmurs and voices he couldn’t make out, somewhere in there was smears of bright colours and action of some sort… The problem was, whenever he woke - the visions faded into the distance like water in a glass on a hot day. 

It was disturbing. And he couldn’t explain it. 

Part of it, he believed, might be too many video games on streaming nights - he was a Twitch sensation after all, and time away from racing meant he could focus on Quadrant. However, he found with his reoccurring bouts of nightmares that he could hardly focus on even that - he was trying to eliminate possible causes, but the nightmares never went. They only kept getting more vivid, making it difficult to focus on really anything. 

He laid back again, taking a couple deep breaths and at last exhaling deeply as he let his head rest aside on his pillow. It was factory day, time for training. Time to get up. Lando summoned himself from his covers and went to go get ready for the day. 

A great part of the morning - other than officially getting himself out of bed, was meeting Carlos Sainz Jr. The Spaniard had beat him to Woking Station and was awaiting him patiently in their meeting spot, his bag slung over his shoulder and his cap pulled over his dark hair. Carlos’ dark eyes watched him enter the station, swipe his card, and at last come join him. 

“Hey.” Lando greeted his mate.

“Hey.” Carlos greeted him back. 

The two of them departed side-by-side, heading to board the train - deciding to remain standing until their next stop. It wouldn’t be long, the distance between was no more than a little less than twenty minutes. And it was also then that Carlos decided to bring up an obvious observation,

“Lando, have you not been sleeping well?” 

“Not really…” Lando exhaled deeply. “But there isn’t much I can do about it, least I don’t think..”

“What’s been happening? Too many video games?” 

“That’s the thing, Carlos - I don’t really know.” he gave a light raise of his shoulders. “I’ve been having nightmares, really bad ones. And if it’s violent video games, I already tried cutting that out… Heck! I haven’t really felt like streaming much because of it.”

There was a moment of silence between them, the sound of the train moving along the rail and the occasional murmur from a stranger the only background noise. 

“Do you remember your nightmares?” 

“That’s another thing, the moment I wake up - they sort of just, disappear.” Lando bunched his features. “They’re as confusing as they come, and they used to be less frequent - but… Agh! Maybe it’s just pre-season nerves.” 

More silence, and he can tell Carlos is thinking. If he had to be entirely honest, he did feel a bit exhausted - frayed even from lack of good sleep. And sleep, even as little as it came in his profession at times - was crucial to a good performance out on track. Maybe he just needed to talk to his trainer, or a therapist even… Lando was conflicted on who to confide in, but Carlos was the first to know. 

”Ah gentlemen! Just the two I wanted to see today!” 

Maxwell Proffe, otherwise known as Professor M. was there to greet the two drivers the moment they walked into the MTC. The balding man was accompanied with a lab coat over a turtleneck, his lower half clad with grey business slacks and leather loafers - and at last an excited smile and a clipboard in hand. 

“Do you have us doing simulator work today?” 

“How did you guess? I wouldn’t expect anything less from Norris himself! Haha! Why yes, and you’re in for quite the surprise.” Proffe motioned them on to follow him to the lift. “We have- Well you two, have the pleasure of being the FIA’s chosen candidates for the DD19 SSS, a rather advanced simulator technology that is like nothing we have ever seen.” 

“Flying cars, maybe?” Carlos raised a brow. 

“I don’t think it would be impossible.” Proffe enthused. “But rather than letting me explain it all, how about you two suit up and give it a whirl yourself?” 

The lift arrived on one of the MTC’s lower floors, Proffe stepped out first and both Carlos and Lando followed suit. Two mechanics motioned the drivers into one of the rooms a bit further down the corridor, taking their bags and further instructing them to strip down and get into the suits provided. Lando was expecting something a bit less than skin-tight athletic wear for a simulator, maybe even doing so in his normal clothing. The suit was strange in a sense, the metallic bits once pulled over his skin had a bit of a bite - they didn’t quite pierce his skin, but they felt very well close to. 

And at the last, the final thing to put on was the headpiece - something he held in his fingers a moment before finally placing the band on his head. This too gave a bit of a threatening bite, the way it hugged his temples made him feel like he was from some sort of sci-fi movie ready for the next alien invasion - a look in the mirror and he certainly looked that way. 

Lando soon joined Carlos in the adjoining corridor, Carlos was suited in red arrows and he was in blue. Together they walked to the simulation room where the next of their peculiar mission awaited them. 

“It’s a chair.” 

“Not just any chair.” Proffe announced. “The chair of the future - take a seat and strap yourselves in.” 

The two glanced to each other before proceeding to their separate seats - Lando a bit cautious as he unclipped the harness and settled down. The chair seemed to do the rest for him, his head was magnetised into the chip slot at the headrest of the chair, his arms and legs also had this strange gravitational effect at the metallic bits. He gasped in shock, finding panic come on as he couldn’t command a single muscle. 

“Don’t worry this is completely safe.” Proffe said. “This is all part of the process. Just relax.” 

“Carlos…”

That was when the harness cords clipped into place, something wasn’t right. Lando willed himself to move from the machine, this was beyond normal - he could feel some sort of cold draft building up at the connectors, the initial shock before there was a hot searing pain that pierced his limbs and fried him to unconsciousness, Carlos’ voice the last he heard before the static took over…

“LANDO!”


	3. The Cloud Sim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don’t piss off Carlos, or his imagination.

Lando was unconscious after a sharp painful cry escaped his lips, and Carlos Sainz Jr. was pissed off. Out of any of them entering the simulator, Lando was the first as he had been the quickest to sit down and strap up - by the time the younger driver was uttering his name in fear, Carlos had verily sat down and felt the magnetism come on. And now Lando was a limp rag-doll in the hands of this strange machine.

“Get me the hell in there NOW!” The Spaniard demanded, though chance was on his side that he might not even see Lando at all.

There was hope at least, he could pray. The straps were coming his way, he faced the flames bravely with the stubbornness of a bull - he was strong, resilient, he had Spanish blood in his veins. No pain was greater than the utter inevitable, and by that - he would rather not think about what his teammate sitting limply in that chair even meant. Initial coldness, he pursed his lips, dark eyes dead set forward as if he could laser a hole into anything standing in front of him - then came the lash, the first pain, the crack of the whip on bare skin. 

Lights out. 

But he was conscious, in a lobby of sorts. There was a loading screen and his stats, his mind seemed to hit an ‘auto confirm’ as the border round the silhouette lit up softly similar to a cursor over a selection screen. But he paused, the sim paused with him. No, he didn’t want to play this stupid game… 

“Take me to Lando Norris.” He told the damned thing, even thought hard about it and nothing happened. “LANDO! Lando Norris! Driver 4! My teammate!” 

Nothing happened. No matter what he said, no such commands existed. There was no search and he was stuck on the damned stats screen, only cos he didn’t favour these sorts of things. If it were a manual thing, a physical game - he would have turned it off and put the controller back. All he could do was proceed with the cursor of his mind, and only then did everything go white. 

And suddenly he’s in sunny Australia, smack down loading within the pits with the car layout uploading to his head. Where is Lando? Are their realities not connected at all? Is this truly a separate game on both ends? 

”Can you hear me?”

It’s Proffe, a realistic model of some sort of engineer is speaking with his voice - it’s not the engineer himself, but it’s the only thing he’s currently capable of having some sort of human contact with. 

“Where is Lando?” 

“He’s fine, Mr.Sainz - I just spoke with him. He’s out doing his fastest lap as we speak. Now whilst the car and other assets are uploading - let me tell you what I’ve been told about this simulator. It is entirely to do with the mind! So keep a decently clear head, I imagine - don’t think of crashing or something that might injure you, this manual isn’t exactly the clearest on what could happen if that did happen… Er- The imagination is the key, so… Keep the weather hot and the tyres intact!” 

The car was finally loaded, Carlos got in and was without delay in pulling out into the pit-lane - mindful of his thoughts as he exited out onto the track. The heat was exceptional, he could feel it even though to him it basically wasn’t real. 

“A fastest lap, that’s all we need.” Proffe’s voice sounded in his head. “Remember to keep your tyres intact and manage the rest of the vehicle - it will behave exactly as you imagine it. In a way, you are your own engineer.” 

He tore down the asphalt, breathing in deeply - focus was important, but his mind was on much already. It was factual to him that him and Lando were on the same track, he imagined it so hard that they were both in the same game - preforming almost instantaneously with each other, driving so hard to get that fastest time that they were almost lengths within each other. Just like those times on iRacing, even in real life - and that was the other thing. They were missing a feature here, the voice chat.

”…Carlos?” 

The Spaniard had willed so instantaneously in his unconsciousness that he had somehow materialised himself into the same sim as Lando - and just as he visualised they were lengths from each other, his F1 car literally appeared metres in front of his teammate’s as they battled on track. The Cloud Sim - not intended to be a two-person game had become furiously merged by the sheer wit of a Spaniard who was tired of the bullshit. 

“You can hear me, Lando?!” 

“I… I actually can!” Lando replied. “I was just thinking that.. It would probably be better if they had a two-player version.”

“Well, I got tired of playing alone.” Carlos admitted. “This game is boring…”

“Though.. Wouldn’t you think they could add other racers?”

“Proffe told me it’s about imagination. If we imagine them, maybe it is possible.” 

“Gentlemen, what in the hell did you- Oh dear.” Proffe was heard sighing. “As if playing alone for a bit was entirely inseparable- This manual has absolutely nothing on two sims in one- Oh never-mind! All I want is some fastest laps, gents - then we’ll be done for the day.” 

“Sure Proffe.” Lando promised. “I’ll race you, Carlos!” 

The two sped around the Albert Park Circuit, being serious at first - then it turned into a game of sabotage with the weather. Cloud Sim Australia went from rainy with hard tyres, to heavy snow with soft tyres - all rather unusual things down under. They were spinning out on the track after small bouts of momentum, Carlos imagined chains on intermediate tyres and did a couple donuts, skidding to a sliding halt as his tyres spun on slush. 

And Proffe, well he was just unamused. 

They were already forty minutes in and all the engineer heard was McLaren’s top drivers bantering on in child’s play. At least they had got a couple stats, there was always tomorrow… Course if these two would stop treating the new sim like some sort of sandbox virtual world, then maybe they could lessen the simulator time.

“Alright gents, we’ve nearly hit the hour marker - it’s time to pit and exit the simulator. Please pit, it’s time to leave.” 

The weather was cleared up for them to return to the pits, Carlos leading in. They both got out of their vehicles and waited, 

“Nice job today.” Carlos gave Lando a fist to the arm. 

“You’re not bad yourself.” 

The drivers tussled, Carlos had Lando in a headlock - and there was no imagining himself out of it. 

“Are you pitted lads?” 

“Yup.” 

“I’m sending the signal now.” 

Carlos released Lando, both drivers stood next to each other as everything went white. Then everything black. Carlos was pulled back into reality, the cords released from his limbs and the magnetism was gone. The Spaniard pulled his head so sharply from the chip on the headrest that he escaped the headband previously hugging his temples - what an annoying bit of technology, he couldn’t wait to get his cap back and head to lunch. He got up and looked over,

“How was that?” Proffe entered the room, pausing in horror at the sight of Carlos at Lando’s side. 

Lando was still limp in the chair.


End file.
